Surrender
by Lilla Black
Summary: Re-written/posting was once SOMEONE LIKE YOU. Set mid New Moon. Jake imprinted on Bella. Bella Hasn't Cliff Jumped yet. Serious Cullen Tension Edward returns decisions have to be made that will effect everything. Lots of Pack stories. Victoria battle.etc
1. Ch:1 She's Back

Jacob.

Nothing makes me feel freer than this, than running as fast as no human would ever be able. It's the silver lining to all this messed up werewolf crap. The speed is unbelievable and the rush of adrenaline that pumps through my legs is like nothing else.

_But why are you running away Jake?_

The little voice in the back of my head asked again, and I pushed it away, I didn't want to think about _that_ right now. However it was an inescapable seed of doubt, that once planted could not be ignored any. Its burning presence that made my inside twist themselves into knots that made my heart ache and my stomach wretch. I ran harder and faster my paws smashing into the ground and tossing a cloud of dirt back in my wake. As my feet methodically drummed into the ground my mind began to drift, back to almost two months ago. The details of that one instant, the slight turn of her head and the fraction of a second it took for our eyes to meet and my life to change irrevocably.

"_Jake, please." Her voice filled with pleading desperation echoed in my ears and I flinched as her soft hand lifted my face so she could see my eyes. For the briefest moment I felt entirely lost in her deep brown eyes her soft lavender lids hid her endlessly deep irises from my intent gaze for only a fraction of a second and yet when my dark eyes meet hers once more I knew I would never feel lost again. Nothing else mattered with her standing here, nothing ever would so long as this girl, Isabella Swan stood before me. Everything I had held sacred was no less important, the love for my farther, and my brothers, for Rachel and Rebecca for my Mom it did not dissipate in the slightest it was merely surpassed tripled, doubled, quadrupled by the avalanche of emotion that cascaded around me as I gazed into her eyes, Bella's infinite chocolate eyes. _

"_Jake!"_ Embry's voice echoed through my head loudly and the memories of that afternoon cleared foggily from my minds eye, smoke wisps winding and weaving back into my subconscious

"_Jake man you've gotta tell her."_ Embry begged I could hear his footsteps they were gaining momentum, he was running towards me. I cursed myself for forgetting where I was and for thinking that Em would or even ever could ignore my melancholic thoughts for very long, he was a better brother than I deserved.

"_No_." I argued adamantly and although I knew he couldn't see me I shook my muzzle vehemently as if my show of physical stubbornness was going to aid me in this battle of opinion.

"_She will understand Jake, she took the werewolf thing well, like crazy well actually. You and her you guys could be happy really and truly happy if you would both just give yourselves a chance to actually let it all work itself out. Trust me man it wont be that bad, besides you already loved Bella its not like this imprint thing changes anything." _

"_Em! It changes everything and you know it, I will NOT take away her choice like that. Yes I loved her before, and she didn't feel the same way. If I told her now though she would know in the long run that she doesn't have a choice. I couldn't live with myself knowing she wasn't with me by choice, that I took her ability to choose me on her own away from her. Besides she's always going to be hung up on.. on.. him." _Even in wolf form my body convulsed at the thought of him, the leech who had left her for dead in that forest, the leech who had left her for dead here in Washington with that psycho red-head stalking her at every turn.

I could hear the conviction in my words replayed back in Quil's mind as he phased in joining in with Embry trying to convince me that I was 'blowing it out of proportion' and that 'Bella already loved me' and while I hoped and wish and desperately needed their kind and reassuring words to be true, to kid myself into believing them was not a luxury I was able to lay claim to.

Bella:

I was alone, again.

For the thousandth time that afternoon I paced back towards the back window looking out over the lush green forest separating Forks and La Push. I scanned the greenery in vain for I could see nothing but the gentle sway of the trees obscured by the thin haze of rain that was by now a constant in my day-to-day life in Washington. I could hear no more than the soft tweet of birds no wolf howls nor stampeding paws registered on a decibel that was audible to my 'human ears'. Jacob was out running patrols, and I begrudgingly knew that my weaker human senses wouldn't have a hope of detecting him as he speed through the deep green forestry.

I made my way back to the living room falling heavily back onto couch and letting my thoughts wander as my head rested against the lumpy sofa arm. Six weeks had passed since that day in the rain in La Push, when for the second time in my life the bounds of reality were shattered before my eyes. It seemed that life had stopped making sense altogether at this point and I had no choice but to go with it, despite the ridiculous, improbable, impractical and life destroying nature of it all.

_I could see the frustration building within him as his eyes darkened angrily I pulled his face towards mine so that his eyes, despite him all of a sudden being about a foot taller could, meet my own and angrily confused brown irises. There was something else hidden within his mysterious dark eyes, it was a pain I had never seen in Jacob before, a pain however that I recognised. A hopeless longing a sickening need that caused the unlucky victim actual physical pain. It was a pain I had, had the good fortune not to feel for at least a month now but seeing it there in Jacob's eyes repulsed me and angered me to a new extreme. Who had done this to Jacob, My Jacob, My Sun? _

_I shook my head a little at the stupidness of my long winded and angry thoughts, as I turned to look back at Jacob I could have sworn I sore him grimace but the pained look had left his eyes or subdue itself slightly and for that my breathing relaxed ever so slightly. _

"_Jake, please" I whispered my voice cracking slightly my eyes begging and my tone pleading. I could not loose him, not Jake too. I wouldn't survive it, of that I was almost certain. I withdrew my hand from his burning cheek, how could he still be running such a high fever, surely he should be in hospital or even d-dead at this point. _

"_I can't tell you Bella. LEAVE!" Jake hollered at me his voice was full of pain and anger, its harshness brought goose bumps to my skin and tears to my eyes as I felt my stomach lurch and for one frantic moment all the wind rushed from my lungs and my body jerked backwards as if his rejection had physically burned me. _

"_Not here." He whispered in an undertone I could scarcely hear. As the words left Jake's mouth his eyes softened and he was my Jacob once more, and he was asking me, no he was begging me to understand, to play along. _

"_FINE!" I screamed opening my car door; As I looked away from Jacob squinting through the rain I could see them standing partly hidden behind the trees stood Sam Ulley and four other enormous boys they were waiting for him, for Jake. _

"_I'M GOING HOME!" I yelled again slamming the truck door and desperately hoping Jacob understood my screamed instruction. _

"_FINE. Don't Come Back" Jacob shouted his booming voice curled into a nasty snarl and even though I knew his words were an act they stung to hear all the same. _

_I waited at Charlie's house for hours, I cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom, vacuumed the living room, and did 2 loads of laundry before I started out on Charlie's dinner. I choose lasagne purely because I new it was the most time consuming. Two hours later and a steaming casserole dish filled with the layered pasta dish however there was still no sign of Jake and I felt angry tears spring to my eye. _

_There was a game on that night so Charlie ate his food in the living room in front of the flat screen. I gave him a small smile before wearily climbing up the stairs to my room. It was too early to even attempt sleep but I didn't care I took a shower which regrettably did nothing to warm me or take away the pain I knew was coming. The sting of Edward's rejection paled in comparison to that of the wound Jacob's broken promise had left me with. I felt as if the sun had disappeared everything seemed cold and dark. The look in his eyes as he had screamed at me to leave plagued me every time I closed my eyes and as I recalled the anger and pain in his voice I clutched at my stomach and sprinted to the bathroom my throat burning as I wretched over the basin sink. Returning to my bed fatigue hit me like a tonne of bricks and my red dry eyes found some small solace in the darkness of my cold and empty mind. _

_What felt like mere minutes of unrestful sleep later my eyes snapped open in alarm. My blood ran cold and my heart stop as I heard the sound that had awoken me once before the sound of something, I presumed nails, scarping down my window, in an instant memories came flooding back to me. The trio of nomads at the field where we, no _they_ had played baseball. There was James but I knew he was dead. Then Laurent, he had been here but those giant wolves had chased him away three days ago. Would he come back? Would he risk those, those animals in the woods or had he killed them too? And even if the wolves had savaged him there was still the third nomad. My blood froze, fiery red hair, feline features, her mouth curled up into a vengeful snarl. Victoria. _

"_Bella!" I heard the husky voice outside the window and confusion racked my brain. How was that voice here and then a thought ripped through me, what if she or he or whoever had Jacob? I threw of the hundreds of blankets that covered me, my mind still frozen with fear I almost sprinted to the window, even if this led to my death or kidnapping or whatever I felt entranced I had to understand what was going on I had to see _him_. _

"_Jake." I whispered and the fear and pain that had paralysed me dissipated as I saw him dangling precariously from a tree, his feet on my window frame. I pushed the window open and Jake pulled himself with a surprising element of grace through the window. _

"_May I ask why you are trying to get yourself killed by falling off the side of my house." I hissed my arms folded across my chest protecting my still icy body from another onslaught of pain. _

"_I had to keep my promise." He said softly his voice riddled with pain. _

_I dropped my arms at once; he had come back, my Jacob. I threw my arms around his feverish neck and buried my face into his suddenly muscled shoulders his long toned arms wrapt around my waist tightly. I felt warmth flood through my veins as if I was stepping out of the shadows and into the sun after long months of winter. My brain finally caught up with me and I realised three things, not only was Jacob still too hot to be maintaining healthy bodily functions, secondly that at some point in the two weeks since I had sat with Jake in the movie he had grown, I mean he had always been tall but now he towered above me his head resting atop mine easily and my eyes level with the top of his shoulders that had also greatly expanded both in width and muscle. Finally it was with a loud yelp that my brain finally registered possibly the most obvious fact that Jacob Black was standing in my bedroom window at 3 o'clock in the morning half –naked. _

"_Explain." I growled pushing away from burning well-defined abs and folding my arms across my chest once more, blood rushing to my face in a telltale blush that I desperately tried to hide between my haughty demeanour. _

"_Bells" he pleaded. And I felt my resolve crumble. _

"_Jake, please." I begged him, my arms falling against my sides limply as I sat on the edge of my bed looking up at his now towering, and I had to admit beautifully sculpted, frame. _

"_You can trust me, please just tell me." I whispered trying to keep the tears that were threatening to cascade down my checks at bay. _

_He nodded nervously chewing on his lip and I almost laughed, it was such a natural and common reaction however seeing this new huge, strong and semi-naked Jake do it felt oddly comical. _

_He opened his mouth to speak and the shut it again before pulling me from my bed and gripping me tightly in a bear hug for a brief moment before releasing me. _

"_Just remembered that I'm still Jake ok." He informed me looking intently into my eyes. _

"_Promise me that I will still be your Jake, annoying and mechanically superior, older, faster, wiser all of it." He begged and my mine tripped over the way he said 'Your Jake' a small smile graced my eyes as I nodded and his shoulders relaxed slightly. _

"_Ok." He whispered his eyes never leaving mine as he explained it, all of it, everything. The Wolves. The Pack. The Cold Ones. The fact that they were protectors of the people and lands of La Push.. _

_I clasped a hand over my mouth in shock as realisation dawned upon me. He looked at me fearfully worry and panic flashing through his eyes; he dragged my hand away from my mouth. _

"_Bella _please_ tell me what you are thinking." He begged his voice was a mixture of fear and ager._

"_That was y-you in the forest... Laurent." I gasped. _

_He nodded. "Dead" he spat angrily squeezing my hand reassuringly. _

"_Y-you, you all…" I whispered in alarm. _

_He gave me a sad look and nodded. _

"_Does every freaking fairy story have to come true." I cried out and Jacob barked out a laugh hugging me to his side and pressing his warm lips against my forehead. _

My eyes snapped open in frustration. I chastised myself for getting stuck down on Memory Lane when Jake and the others were off being all-heroic and endangering themselves. But I was lonely and there was no way of denying that. Ever since discovering that Victoria (also know as the red-headed blood sucker) was on a mission of vengeance centred on killing me, the entire pack had stepped up patrols especially Jake. There were 7 wolves in total, but I knew that number was subject to change at any moment, depending on the number of vampires in and around the Forks and La Push area; Sam Uley was the alpha and the oldest wolf and like Jake said I had been very wrong to assume anything about Sam, at only 20 years old he was a kind, true and very honest man. Then there was Paul, who had a temper like nothing I had ever seen, and Jarred who were both 19 years old and had been the second and third La Push Boys to 'phase' back about a year ago. Jake, Embry and Quil and now Seth Clearwater made up the remainder of the pack. However Seth being only fifteen years old was the youngest member of the Pack by at least two years a fact that worried both Sam and Jacob greatly.

I longingly remembered my spring break days from a few weeks back. Spending every minute of every day down in La Push, either with Jacob, who I was constantly worried about, or Emily Sam's kind and beautiful, yet badly scarred, fiancé. When there was no one else around to 'babysit' me I would just walk along the tide line at First Beach waiting for Jake to come back from his patrols. Generally speaking I had just let my mind wonder aimlessly over the water the sea glasses the smooth white sand or the rough white caps dotting the horizon, however after a few days of observing Jake's new lifestyle I dedicated my days thinking up schemes in which I could make him rest or at least slow down for a little while.

Jake and Billy had both apologized a hundred times for 'ruining' my vacation. It had been mandated before school even broke up that because of Victoria's ability to evade capture it wasn't safe for me, or Charlie, to be spend much time in Forks where the Boys had no mystical werewolf jurisdiction. I argued against Billy and Jacob's constant apologies having to continuously remind them that I actually enjoyed my time on the reservation. It didn't take long for the three of them to realise how truthful that statement was as the first night down in La Push when I was 'too tired to drive home' and Charlie 'may have had one too many' I slept the entire night through without waking up or screaming once. As the days and nights 'accidently' crashing or Jakes couch progressed I felt more at safe and whole within my skin that I had in months, I was talking and laughing animatedly more and more and I had finally begun to feel like the real Bella, the old Bella, the alive Bella.

Now however school was back in session and things were far more complex in terms of ensuring mu safety. For obvious reasons I couldn't drop out of school and spend every day in La Push, although Jake was all for that idea, and Charlie was getting more and more suspicious whilst Jacob was becoming more and more concerned and restless. I missed him immensely we hadn't been able to hang out as 'Bells and Jake' in weeks. His prolonged absence from my life was beginning to have a negative effect on my psyche, my nights were becoming long and disrupted again dreams of injured wolves plagued me and I spent prolonged amounts of time watching at the window for any sign of wolf-ish movements in the forest outside.

Shaking my head and trying to rid myself of the negative thoughts that seemed to follow me like a shadow I glanced up at the clock reading 2:39pm and smiled the knowledge that Jake was coming to pick me up in an hour and 21 minutes made my spirits soar. Racing back up the stairs overjoyed that I had finally managed to pass the day; I jumped into and out of the shower and actually blow-dried my hair. I was both excited and anxious to see Jake again, there was no denying that we had grown closer still in recent weeks yet I couldn't shake the feelings of guilt that flood through me knowing that his feelings for me were changing, and even worse that I was letting them. I shook my head again, letting my hair cascade over my shoulders pooling in long mahogany waves against my spine, and pulled on a pair of snug denim jeans and a dark blue fitted blouse, trying to block out the memories associated with this particular article of clothing.

I trotted down the stairs happily knowing that Jake would be here soon to pick me up so we could head down to La Push for the night. I tried in vain to block out the thoughts of how quickly our relationship was changing, how much more I depended on him and how desperately I missed him when we were apart. Wandering through the kitchen my mind was of in another world, but my brain shut down when I saw a flash of fiery red hair in my peripheral vision, I whirled around, my heart beating unnaturally fast my breath caught in my throat as all the colour drained from my face.

Victoria.


	2. Ch:2 I'm Right Here

Jacob.

With a sigh I closed my eyes and set of on the run home. I knew my way around these parts better than anyone. To be perfectly honest Charlie couldn't have picked a better house, backing onto an enormous portion of the forest separating Forks from La Push it only took me six and a half minutes to run from Billy's to Bella's window. For that same reason however Chief Swan had also picked one of the worst houses in the greater Forks area, because if I could run stealthily through the thick green forestry then so could anyone or any_thing_ else.

The smell hit me like a tonne of bricks right before I crossed the boundary line 2 minutes from Bella's house. _Leech. _My entire body was sent into shuddering spasms as my mind exploded into a string of profanity and I wondered momentarily, before lapsing into what can only be described as writhing insanity, if it was possible for to phase _again_ while in this form. A howl ripped eerily through the quiet afternoon and I was shocked to learn that it was my own howl echoing through the forest. With seconds I felt Embry and Quil phase back into the shared mind of the pack I could hear the reverberations of their paws as they hurtled towards me, towards Bella.

That afternoon I ran faster and harder than I had ever before in my entire life I could hear Sam shouting instruction like a madman however no part of my mind thought to stop and hear what it was he had to say. Two thoughts were waging war for possession of my mind and by association my soul. What to do first, dismember the leech or scoop Bella up into my arms and never stop running, ever.

As the Swan household came into view and an ear-splitting scream of fury and the unmistakeable shattering sound of breaking glass filled my mind, the blood pumping through my veins, coursing with energy like a live wire, seized to be mine as I gave myself over to the wolf with me and in one graceful yet menacing leap I burst forth from the forest perimeter and took in the sight before me, a sight which froze the blood in my veins and had me near doubled over in pain.

Bella Swan lay broken on the ground. There were glass fragments everywhere that in conjunction with the empty shattered windowpane made it quite easy to fill in the gaps of how she had come to be lying in a pool of broken glass outside. I could smell her blood and as my eyes franticly searched her face I saw for the first time the deep gash tracing from her forehead across to her hairline near the corner of her left eye blood trickled down her face, a steady stream of crimson. To add to the growing list of visible injuries plaguing Bella's unconscious form her right arm was bent at an odd angle that was neither natural nor painless. Yet in the moment that my eyes were able to trace her unconscious, too small, fragile frame her chest rose slightly before falling once more. _she was alive._

A feral snarl of laughter filled the silent space and my frozen blood suddenly boiled over whilst Sam's order to stand down seemed abruptly foreign, distant as though I was hearing it through a tunnel or from beneath water. I leapt through the air teeth beared as the red headed leech came into view. The building fury and terrifying rage that turned my vision red and shaky as the leech cackled her high pitched cat like laugh once more and I lunged for her again, however she was a master at evading capture and the second I landed on the hard grass once more she had moved. Her feline features mocked me, the ferocious rage burning within me continued to dwindle away at my self-control. _Its_ snarl however turned to a scowl as Quil and Embry burst forth from the line of trees and Sam and Jarrod came sprinting around the front of the Swan house. She must have known she was cornered, sensed it somehow because a cunning look graced her manic red eyes and she darted forward. Just as Embry crouched back preparing to leap forward and take the psychotic leech out Sam's voice echoed out blasting through the temporary shield my min had constructed against his orders.

_Stop _

In my lunatic anger I had failed to see what the red head had darted forward to grab, however as Sam's order buzzed a ringing in my ears her intentions became all to clear. For standing in the middle of Charlie's backyard _it_ stood with _it's_ razor sharp teeth bared and glistening, poised ready to strike the gaping red wound in Bella's forehead.

I was frozen by Sam's order that was reassuring in the sense that at least I wasn't going to freak out and do anything that further injured Bella in a rescue attempt. However that same logic t,he weight of the order and my desire to break through its restraints was slowly breaking every bone in my body, destroying me from the inside out.

I didn't hear them plan the attack, I only felt the restraints lift from my arms and saw Sam and Paul fly through the air leaping at Victoria in unison. She jumped backwards so that she stood in full view of the road. Thankfully I knew Bella's street far better than she did and was able to shout commands at the remainder of the pack not to worry about the Swan's neighbours baring witness to the supernatural fight that was evidently about to take place.

In the packs second of hesitation Victoria took her chance, streaking down the middle of the asphalt road a blaze of red hair. Jarrod lunged for her as she sped past and with the side of her body sent him flying backwards into Charlie's mailbox flattening it to the ground. Sam however took his shot as Jarrod flew through the air letting out yet another loud stream of expletives. Sam lunged onto the Leech's back biting into her shoulder, _it_ was caught of balance by the suddenness of the attack and tumbled onto the ground spilling Bella from her arms she hit the ground with a bone cracking thud and bounced somewhat off of the hard ground.

"No!" I screamed out my voice that of a madman.

Her fall seemed to rouse her consciousness and a blood-curdling scream assaulted the air around me as I felt bile rise in my throat as the agonizing sound of a bone cracking rang through my ears. I sprang towards the leech fully prepared to pull her limb from limb, she snapped and snarled at me attempting to free herself from Sam's pin.

_Jake NO!_ Quill hollered slamming into my side to stop me from mauling at the leech.

_Sam's got her, get Bella out of here. _Embry added quickly chasing after a hunk of the Leech's shoulder that Sam with Jared's help had just torn free from the marble skinned vampire.

At the mere mention of Bella's name my focus shifted entirely and guilt overcame me for not gathering her up in my arms and running her out of the battle stricken street sooner. Changing my path slightly mid stride I phased back to my normal form blood trickling down the side of my check I jumped into my shorts as I sprinted towards Bella, who's fresh scream was still echoing around the trees.

"Jake." She whimpered her voice broken her eyes fluttering in and out of consciousness as I took her into my arms.

"I'm here Bells, I'm here shh." I soothed jostling her gently so that her badly broken arm lay across her body safe against her ribcage.

"It hurts Jakey." Bella whispered tears springing to her eyes as they rolled back into her head slightly.

"I know Bells, I know but stay with me ok."

"Ok" she murmured weakly.

"SAM!" I hollered towards the Alpha fear boiling up inside of me as Bella's eyes closed once more.

A struggling and slightly wounded Jarrod was back on his feet and lunging towards the Leech who had managed to kick Sam off of her and was now being restrained by Paul. Embry leapt through the shrubby a path of fur missing from his chest and an animalistic snarl erupted from his muzzle. I wanted, no I needed to hurt this leech, and my brothers' thoughts mirrored my own predatory instincts, this was the one time we could completely give into to our inner wolves.

"_Jake, get Bella out of here." _Sam hollered at me the alpha tone filled his voice, as he lunged back into the scrum. I look down at Bella's broken form and pushed the inner wolf aside, this was all that mattered this girl and her continued survival.

I didn't have to be asked twice my human eyes meet that of Quil's, as he caught in his mouth a chunk of the leeches arm that had been pulled free by Embry, he nodded his muzzle once in acknowledgment and I turned on my bare heel and began running.

Until of course a loud sound echoed out through the arit stopping my pumping blood in its veins. The sound was undeniably coming from La Push but I didn't understand how, every member of our pack was here, fighting Victoria, how and why could a wolf be howling.

"_Someone's just phased."_

"_Who"_

"_How" _

"_Why"_

"_Everyone SHUTUP_" Sam yelled his voice distinguishable by the alpha tone.

The cataclysm of voices ended and I felt the awe wash over me as I understood that I could feel the Packs thoughts and movements despite not being phased to the shared pack mind.

"_HELP ME!" _The new voice screeched andtwo things began certain, this new wolf was in pain and she was a girl.

"_Leah?"_ Seth, who was hiding in the nearby forest watching and waiting, asked quickly confused.

Suddenly my mind was not my own and a series of erratic and disjointed thoughts and memories flew through my head. Harry Clearwater lying motion less on a hospital bed an oxygen mask covering part of his face, IV drips and wires everywhere, Sue Clearwater's grief stricken eyes making her face almost unrecognizable, and then the sound that made each and everyone of us flinch the unmistakable sound of a heart monitor flat lining.

_DAD!_ Seth screamed as he raced back towards La Push, the images continued, and I saw the asphalt ground far away from where I was currently standing begin to shake as Leah remember bursting forth into a great wolf in the deserted parking lot of the La Push Clinic.

No more than a quarter of a minute had passed and if it had been another time; and I couldn't hear Bella's fragile heart beating inside her unconscious body, if Harry Clearwater wasn't dead and if I wasn't standing between my connection to life and a crazed ravenous vampire I may have found it amazing how quickly our thoughts could travel between our connected mind or how easily we all were able to understand one another. That day however was not today, because today Harry Clearwater was presumably dead, Bella may not be far behind him and a psychotic evasive vampire was threatening to snub out her life for good and in the middle of all of this was me, desperately clinging to any semblance of sanity.

In our moment of distraction, our second of grief and confusion Victoria had seized her opportunity. Her fiery orange hair was a blur, as she retrieved her dismembered wrist from the nearby shrubbery and leapt towards the road. Her scent ripped through my nostrils and I had never felt so much hatred consume me in all of my life. She was using our pain against us, her inhumanness was her greatest weapon as I realised there was nothing or no one she cared for and so the concept of loss or love meant nothing.

I wanted to lunge into her, the ferocity of grief and anger were working in my favour, but I was cradling my reason for existing broken in my arms, _broken at her hand _Paul snarled and in an act of solidarity, of pure brotherhood he launched himself through the air after the blood sucker.

Everything felt like it was in slow motion, probably from the adrenaline, in her sprinting retreat I felt the bloodsucker brush past me, I leapt backwards crashing into the ground as her hand reached out towards Bella. I tried to cradle the broken girl against my chest protecting her from the impact of the hard road top as much as possible but she screamed out all the same aroused from her stupor by the lock of hair that Victoria had wrenched free from her head.

The long mahogany strands of hair danced in the wind as Victoria sprinted from the scene faster than most of the other vampire retreats I had bared witness too.

I turned to look at my brothers, Paul and Jarrod were both barrelling after the red-headed leech but Embry and Quill as dependable as the setting sun were of course still there. Embry looked at me with wisdom and strength in his kind brown eyes and gave me a nod. Quil mouthed 'Go' at me and that was enough. I began plummeting down the road not after Victoria but towards the emergency department of Forks General hospital.

I didn't slow down until I burst though the glass sliding doors of Forks General Hospital.

"Somebody help her!" I yelled out alarming the people loitering in the lobby of the hospital. We must have looked like quiet a sight, me shirtless and 6 and a half feet tall carrying Bella a tiny, pale and bloodied lying limp in my arms. I however didn't care, my 108-degree temperature was doing nothing to warm her and she had begun violently shaking in my arms.

"Oh my god." A young nurse cried rushing forward armed with a small finger torch that she promptly began shinning in Bella's closed eyes.

"Dr Snow." She called her voice rising in octave and temper, something was wrong.

Dr Snow, a strong looking man with dark hair came running towards us.

"What happened?" he demanded his voice filled with concern.

"Car crash." I answered not attempting to shield the pain in my voice as I began to recite the story I had come up with as I ran towards the hospital.

"Hit and run, she bounced off of the windscreen onto the asphalt" I winced as Bella stirred in my arms.

"Right get a gurney over here." Dr Snow yelled and another nurse came rushing forward as I deposited Bella down carefully onto the hospital bed trying not to knock her arm or head.

The minute Bella was situated on the gurney a second doctor arrived and began pushing her towards the double emergency room doors. "Female, 18, Isabella Swan, prep her for a full body scan, we need to see if there is any internal damage, get her on an IV drip too and she's gonna need some blood." Dr Snow ordered as they pushed through the double doors. I tried to follow after her but an attending doctor stopped me.

"Is their someone you can call for her?" He asked me his tone was speculative and judgemental.

"No, not right now at least" I said my voice was barely more than a whisper.

The doctor raised his eyebrows shooting me a look of disapproval; his reproachful glare clearly expected an explanation.

"Half an hour ago her Dad's best friend had a heart attack, he's dead and if you think for a second that I am going to pick up the phone and tell him that his daughter may be headed the same way." I sucked in a shaky breath before continuing.

"Then you've got another thing coming." I seethed.

"Ok." Snow nodded taking my obvious threat in stride and flashing me what I expect was supposed to be an apologetic and understanding smile, but he couldn't understand this feeling not unless he too could turn into a wolf and had some supernatural connection that bound his life and his very existence to a girl they had just wheeled into the emergency room.

"So I take it the waiting room is out of the question also." Snow called over his shoulder as he began to walk away.

"Yes sir." In a different time I would have been appreciative of the doctors good-humoured nature.

"Come on then Jacob." He paused to turn and look at my stunned face before continuing.

"Oh yes I remember you, in here a few weeks ago, she had a concussion that time, motorbike wasn't it."

I grimaced and swallowed loudly he was suspicious.

"Yes sir." I repeated and he nodded.

"Quiet injury prone your girlfriend isn't she."

At this I said nothing and simply followed him through the double doors, nurses and doctors and extra sets of hands were bustling around madly some were grabbing gauze and needles others filling in charts.

Snow led me into the gallery of the second operating room, which also housed the small hospitals MRI and X-ray facilities. There were two rows of bench like seats built for interns, assisting doctors and nurses to observe the other Doctors and medical staff at work in the room below. I could hear her laboured breathing and within seconds an oxygen mask was fitted over her nose and mouth. I felt my body shake as her panic-ridden eyes snapped open and wildly scanned the room. The fingers of her good arm fumbled as she attempted to remove the oxygen mask from her face. Two nurses swarmed at her trying to sooth and reassure her. I hunched my shoulders over trying to withstand the sickening pain that rattled through my mind and coursed through my veins at not having been able to protect her better against Victoria and for not being able to fix her now.

The whirring and high-pitched frequency of the X-ray machine started up at a deafening din in my hypersensitive ears so that I lost track of Bella's voice I pushed myself further against the window my palm open towards her, flat against the window. She was saying something, yelling at anyone who would listen. I could read the fear clear in her face she was desperate for them to hear what she was trying saying. One of the young nurses with blonde hair pilled up on her head in a bun, took her hand and murmured something to Bella who immediately turned to look at the gallery window, to look at me. Her wild eyes became placid and calm at once and a smile tugged at my lips.

"I'm right here Bells, I'm not going anywhere."


	3. Ch: 3 Waking up Different

AN: So Obviously I am one of those horribly dreadful people who promises chapters and then eventually delivers them 10 months late. I won't bore you with tales of why I haven't posted, beg for forgiveness or make promises that I will keep to a regular updating schedule but I can say to those of you who have stuck around, are just joining in, or have come back, Thank you and I am sorry. Without _**further**_ ado

Chapter 3- Waking Up Different.

Bella.

I tried to scream out but the darkness was everywhere. It's crushing presence inescapable.

_Oh god I'm dead. Oh crap how could I be died?_

_Victoria. She was at my house, in my house. Oh god I'm dead what am I going to do? Well nothing I suppose, that's why I'm dead._

_What is Charlie going to do? What about Jacob? Oh god Jake._

_NO! No, no_. _I'm not dead, I can't be dead, I have to live, I have to, I have to talk to Jake, explain to him. _My fist balled up at my sides and I tried to scream, but it was no use. no one could hear me. It was too dark. There was too much pain.

_No, pain is good; pain means I'm alive. Oh please, please let this pain be enough to keep me here."_

This pain was different. This new agony wasn't like last time. There was no burning sensation, I felt cold as ice. I couldn't feel the blood draining out of me, but a sickly throbbing pain that pulsed through my very core. I wasn't slowly falling into the dark abyss, I was fighting my way out of it. I was fighting this time, fighting hard because _he_ had taught me to fight.

I wasn't sure were I was, or if I was even Bella anymore. The pain was the only thing I could feel, the pain was good, it reminded me that I was still alive, reminded me to bite, kick, claw and fight my way back to the light and the warmth of the sun. I tried to concentrate on each part of my body. My head it hurt but despite the throbbing pain my thoughts were clear. Whip lash in my neck and shoulders, my right arm ached, broken for sure. My left hand was… warm. Yes definitely warmer that the rest of my body, I frowned mentally, how was my hand warm if the rest of me was bone shatteringly cold. Then it clicked. Jacob.

"Ja...ke." The whispered murmur took more strength than I had expected but I could hear my voice, and I knew he could to. He squeezed my hand and I concentrated all my energy on his voice.

"Bella! Bells, I'm here. I am right here please open your eyes." He begged, his voice was so full of worry, raspy from lack of use. I suddenly wondered how long he had been sitting here holding my hand. I tried to open my eyes but they felt glued shut my hands like lead. I sucked in a breath.

"Jake" I groaned again, exhaling, it was more eloquent than my last utterance but not exactly graceful. I felt Jacob's warm lips against my knuckles.

"I'm here.' He whispered against my fingers. My eyes fluttered open to see his deep ebony iris's staring into me. Suddenly everything made sense all the feelings I had been fighting the thoughts I had been denying were as clear as day, I was in love with him.

As I looked up into his eyes and he grinned at me, the most overzealous joyful grin I had seen in a while emotions I could neither place nor understand glinted in his dark eyes.

"W-what happened." I asked hoarsely.

Jake took a shaky breath, "Victoria was there, at your house she slipped through our defences somehow and… and she threw you out a window." his beautiful face was contorted in pain his eyes shot with bitter disappointment.

"Then we were fighting her and Leah, she phased in."

"Wait! What? Leah…Clearwater?" I asked shocked and confused.

"Let me finish?" He begged but despite his tone he was asking a question, letting me decided weather or not I was ready to here the rest, I nodded silently and he continued.

"Yeah Leah Clearwater. She's 19, Seth's sister. She was at the hospital."

He paused as my face fell. "Harry Clearwater had a heart attack this afternoon." Jake shook his head solemnly. My good hand flew to my mouth tears welling in my eyes. Jake took my hand once more and I squeezed his fingers in my own trying to covey all my sorrows and sympathies for him through our limited touch.

"Do you want to hear the rest?" He asked his voice soft and riddled with emotion Once again I nodded, bitting my lip.

"Before we found out about Harry and Leah and everything there was sort of a stand off in your back yard. We were all trying so hard to move around you and not hurt you more and the leech she took an opportunity when we were hesitating and made a run for it, with you. Sam, Jarrod and I chased her down your street, she didn't get far Sam sprung on her back, but she dropped you and your… your arm it b-broke. I'm so sorry Bella. I should have been there faster." His voice trembled as he lay his head against my leg upon the bed his whole body shaking. I lifted my IV taped hand and placed it on top of his head. Slowly brushing through his silky black hair, his shaking stopped immediately and he raised his head.

"Sorry? Jacob, you saved my life. I'm here because of you." I whispered as I continued to stroke that beautiful hair.

"No Bells, your _in here, _because of me." His words were sickeningly familiar. It had been little more than a year since those same words had been said to me in such a similar place. "We failed you, I failed you." He added quietly his face broke in anguish.

"Jacob Black you listen to me right now. What you did this afternoon saved my life. If it wasn't for you and the pack I wouldn't be here _at all_, I'd be dead. You could never fail me Jake, ever." My voice croaked from lack of use, my throat was like sandpaper from screaming but even Jacob couldn't doubt the conviction in my words.

"I was so scared I was going to loose you" he whispered in a murmur that I am not entirely sure was meant for my ears. He let his head dropped back to the side of my bed, the pain in his voice echoed through me, and I fought hard to keep my breath steady and my head focused.

"Hey Jake, I'm here." The mental fog I had been fighting lifted finally and I was able to ascertain how bad the damage was. The cut on my head was deep and it hurt, I wasn't going to lie to myself, and the arm was going to be cumbersome in the coming weeks, of that I was certain. It was only too obvious that I had been incredible lucky to come away with these injuries alone. As for the bruises well I had definitely had worse.

Jake looked at me again; the look in his eyes was something I could not comprehend.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise." I added in a whisper, he opened his mouth to speak but we were interrupted by a high pitched beeping sound, Jake's eyes flashed around in horror, as a stout nurse with short red hair bustled into the room.

"Ahh don't worry dear its just your IV." She said soothingly, I think more for Jake's sake than my own. As she spoke a second person entered the room, Dr Snow.

"Well Ms Swab, how are you feeling?" he questioned taking my chart and flipping through it.

"Great," I half lied putting a little extra enthusiasm into my voice for Jacob's sake.

"Well it looks like once again you were extremely lucky." I noticed Jake shudder in the corner, we both knew that if anything I was extremely unlucky.

"You've suffered another concussion and although it is mild it is your second in a month so you need to be extra vigilant about your safety," Jake's muscles tensed.

"Ideally I would like to keep you for further observation." I opened my mouth to protest but he held his hands up in surrender with a smile, "However I know that you will fight that tooth and nail so I will let you go home, so long as you can ensure me that someone will be home to wake you up every 4 hours tonight to ensure your concussion doesn't have lasting effects. Will Charlie be around?" he questioned his eyes flitting to Jacob who was silent beside my bed.

"I-I'll be there Doc" he murmured through gritted teeth.

Dr Snow nodded, "Right. Now your arm." He continued walking over to examine the fresh white cast covering my wrist and lower arm.

"You've broke two bones in you wrist, they had to be re-set so we will need you to come back in a weeks time so we can assess there recovery." Doctor Snow added scribbling more notes onto the discharge form.

"I would like for you to take two Tylenol before you go to bed tonight, and when you wake up Bella, and of course no operating machinery, adventure sports or reckless behaviour for at least the next 48 hours. Take it easy Bella get some rest and please try to be safe. " He added, looking to Jacob for further support who nodded furiously.

"Thank-you Dr Snow." I said smally and he smiled before leaving the room. The remaining nurse set to removing my IV drip, and disconnecting the wires, I looked away my eyes searching Jake's face as she removed the needles.

"We'll just need you to sign out when you ready Ms Swan." The nurse smiled before leaving but my eyes were locked onto Jake's.

"I'm staying at your house tonight." He whispered.

"Jake you don't have to." I started but he silenced me with pleading eyes.

"What, did you not hear what the doctor _just_ said?" he demanded staring at me as if I had three heads

A sad smile tugged at my lips and I nodded in acceptance.

I pushed my self up off the thin hospital bed and swung my legs towards the ground, as I stood up I felt a familiar wave of vertigo hit and I swayed were I stood, Jacob's strong arms caught me and his alarmed eyes searched my face. I grinned at him as my vision cleared, and began untying the hospital gown I was wearing over my jeans. I peeled the ghastly mint green gown off my bruised shoulders, before I realised they were completely bare, I looked down at my scratched stomach to see nothing but my lacy purple bra, Jakes eyes grew wide and blood rushed to my face.

"H-here." Jake offered unzipping the athletic jacket he was wearing over his bare chest and handed it to me. I smiled at him my face red with embarrassed as I took the jacket from him. My mortification grew as I discovered my inability to pull his jacket over my right, cast covered arm. He grinned, my favourite smile, at me as he gently guided my arm through the sleeve.

Outside it was dark, we had been at the hospital a long while, I shivered against the bitter wind that ripped through my hair. As Jake and I left the fluorescent lights of Forks Hospital he noticed my shivering and gently pulled me into his side, rapping his arm around my shaking shoulders. I relaxed into his side and wondered how on earth we were going to get home, until I sore my truck standing alone in the almost empty parking lot.

Jacob.

We drove home in silence. I desperately wanted, no needed to know what she was thinking. What was running through her mind that caused her brow to knot together in a look of such confusion. She had only raised her eyebrows slightly when I steered her towards the truck that Quil had driven over from Bella's house while she had been having x-rays. Uncharacteristically she hadn't protested as I slipped into the driver's seat of the truck. However I was relatively sure that was more due to the fact that she wasn't sure how to drive with a broken arm rather than a sign of any serious mental ailments induced by her recent trauma.

As soon as I had started the engine up Bella curled into the side of my 108 degree body, I wrapped my free arm around her shoulders and she sighed contentedly. I smiled a little despite pain, grief, anger and guilt that was coursing through me. The trip back to Charlie's didn't take long and before I was completely aware of it we were pulling into Bella's street, she looked up at me suddenly, panic clear in her dark eyes.

"Charlie." she gasped frantically.

"I called him from the hospital," I soothed.

"He doesn't know the whole story, he just knows that you got hurt. He yelled at me for a while and then yelled at the doctors too, he wants you to call him when we get inside, said he would have come but he needed to stay and… and make arrangements with Sue." I explained, trying to keep the anger and pain from my voice.

"We…we should go inside," Bella said after a moment her voice was shaky and I cringed as she tried to open the door with her broken arm. I jumped out of the passenger seat and sped to her door, she didn't look frightened or awed at my speed and then I realised with a shudder that the bloodsucker would have been just as fast, if not faster than me.

I took her cold hand in my own, feeling the goose bumps fly up along her wrist as I pulled her up the stairs and inside.

"Jake, please talk to me." she begged a slight hint of hysteria audible in her voice. My eyes shifted to meet hers, and I squeezed her hands in mine. I wanted to pull her into my arms but I was too afraid of hurting her, or worse yet the rejection that was sure to follow. After this hellish day her dismissal might've actually killed me.

"You're always saving me." She whispered dropping her eyes. My mind spun off imagining all the different connotations those small words could have.

_Snap out of it Jake, you know how she feels. She's told you enough. _I thought to my self desperately trying to pull my self away from the delusions of grandeur dancing around in my psyche.

I ducked my head to look into her captivating dark eyes not realising how close she was to me, she blinked once her eyelashes brushing against her slightly pink checks I was leaning against the kitchen bench so our heights were much closer than usual. It took every ounce of strength in me to keep from pulling her into my arms, and kissing her.

"I will _always_ be here to protect you Bella." I vowed, her dark eyes darted to mine; She locked onto them like she was searching for a lie in my eyes, as if I was trying to deceive her. Did she really think that I would, that I could, leave her?

"Bella, I swear on everything I hold dear that, I. Will. Never. Let. You. Go." She had no idea just how much truth hid behind my words I could see in her eyes that she was beginning to trust again, not me so much, she had reluctantly put her trust in me some months back, but now finally she was beginning to have faith in the promises I made her

"I'm. Not. Him." I added through gritted teeth, trying hard to control the tremors beneath my skin.

She stepped forward, defying everything the silly voice in her head that attempted to prevent her happiness would surely have been screaming, and closed the gap between us. She placed her small, slightly clammy, hand upon my chest, just above my heart, the calming sensation ran through my bloodstream in an instant. In wonder quickly if she was in anyway aware of the sheer amount power she had over me?

"I know." She whispered her eyes locking back onto mine and her sweet scent crashing over me. Her gaze softened but she didn't look away, a small shy smile tugged at the corner of her perfect pink lips. I leaned down towards her, my face millimetres from hers, she didn't pull away nor did she break my gaze and for a fleeting moment it felt like we were playing chicken, like she was daring me to go on.

In my moment of hesitation, her eyes disappeared behind ivory lids, I seized my lone opportunity, brushing my lips slowly across hers. I pulled away slightly trying to gage her reaction, my lips burned painlessly, her eyes were wide and confused but they showed neither anger nor resentment.

"What, what was that?" she asked and I cringed a little ok, maybe she was mad.

"I-I love you Bells." I figured the bandaid had already been ripped off I figured there was no point in stopping now.

Bella stood still her eyes had dissapeared from mine again, but this time I was too afraid of the imminent rejection to pull her eyes back towards mine. She moved quickly, throwing her battered arms around my neck, her heavy cast clubbed me in the back of the head, it should have hurt but I couldn't feel anything except the girl I was holding. She buried her face into my neck.

"Bells, can you talk to me." I murmured after a while, hating myself for disturbing the moment, but desperate to understand what she was thinking and feeling.

"You, you love me" she whispered to herself more than me, her eyes darted to and from my face , the silence was maddening. She blinked quickly as if waves of shock were rolling over her. When finally her eyes meet mine once more the beautiful brown orbs were glistening with fresh tear. Her face was crazily close to mine I could almost feel her eyelashes brushing my check.

"I…." she began but my entire body went rigid as the painfully sweet smell filled my nose.

_NO, NO, NO! You stupid heartless leeches. You heinous vile bloodsuckers,_

"Jake, what is it?" she asked panic and hysteria flooding her tone, eyes darting around the room wildly. I pulled her, a little roughly, behind me pressing her against the kitchen bench as I assumed a protective stance and a low shudder rolled down my spine.

"Vampire." I seethed trying to keep the snarl from my voice.


End file.
